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Archives for November 2017

I think it’s true that Christians, clergy included, can too easily retreat from the world. Not many of us do (or maybe can), but it is a clear and present danger that we can use the Gospel to step away from the painful truths of our society. I’m glad that there’s not much that shocks… Continue Reading→

The Wisdom of Pelagius Celtic Christian Palagius was a prominent theologian in the early fourth century and some of his teachings have been controversial and significantly misrepresented over the centuries. One of Palagius’ letters that has received criticism follows: “There are some who call themselves Christian, and who attend worship regularly, yet perform no Christian actions… Continue Reading→

Jane Leechford and Bobby Fletcher will be leading a team to Armenia May 14 to May 25, 2018. We will likely fly out of Charlotte or Raleigh and go through Qatar and then to Yerevan, Armenia. After we arrive in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, it will require a day of travel to get from Yerevan to Berdzor in the… Continue Reading→

The Duke Endowment sponsors bi-annual meetings of the NC Conference District Superintendents and Bishop with our counterparts from the Western NC Conference. We met two weeks ago in Charlotte. By chance, I sat next to Bishop Hope during an intense and powerful session with Ruby Sales, a Justice Advocate and Spiritual Guide. Ruby used portions… Continue Reading→

Early Sunday morning (around 4:30 am) one of the pastors of our church arrived on our campus to continue his preparation to preach. When he pulled into the parking lot he noticed 3 teenage boys fleeing the church property, one with a crowbar in his hand. He quickly realized that he had interrupted a spree… Continue Reading→

When I played the very occasional organized sport that I did (organized means adults, rules, and officials were involved) as a kid, I discovered the “time out” signal. The signal is made when you make a “t” with your hands, your left hand horizontal to the ground, your right perpendicular to the left, making a… Continue Reading→

Saturday, November 11, 2017. Centenary United Methodist Church 140 E. Market Street, Smithfield, NC. Registration will begin at 9:00 am and the meeting will begin at 9:30 am. All local officers are encouraged to attend to receive information about their office responsibilities.

‘Tis the season! Many churches are in the midst of providing opportunities for us to make a commitment to God through the church as we estimate our giving for the coming year. For some, this is a time to reflect on all of the gifts that we have received from God and to prayerfully discern… Continue Reading→